It's Official: Sony Xperia Z Waterproof Smartphone Debuts

Sony took to the CES 2013 with a vengeance and unveiled its much-rumored Xperia Z smartphone, which was codenamed Yuga prior to release. The Xperia Z with its 1080p display marks Sony's foray into the 5-inch smartphone space, and is reflective of the emerging 'bigger is better' trend for 2013.

The Xperia Z is no stranger to the limelight, as leaked press shots and specs of the smartphone had surfaced prior to launch. With Sony officially taking the wraps off the Xperia Z at the CES 2013, fans can now look forward to laying their hands on the device soon.

"With Xperia Z, we are bringing over half a century of innovation in TV, imaging, music, film and gaming to create a superphone experience that truly stands out," said Kuni Suzuki, President and CEO, at Sony Mobile Communications. "With great specifications, Sony's media applications, One-touch functions and outstanding battery life, Xperia Z is well positioned for leadership in the smartphone market. By putting smartphones at the heart of our strategy, Sony is enabling people to create, enjoy and share content and experiences like never before."

The Xperia Z sports a 5-inch Full HD 1080p Reality Display (443 ppi) with Mobile BRAVIA Engine 2. A 1.5 GHz asynchronous quad-core Snapdragon S4 processor powers the device. The smartphone also packs in a 13.1-megapixel Fast Capture primary camera with Exmor RS for mobile that is capable of shooting high dynamic range (HDR videos) and razor sharp pictures. It also has a 2.2-megapixel front-facing snapper.

The 4G LTE-enabled Xperia Z has 2GB of RAM and offers NFC and microSD card support. The smartphone is just 7.9mm thick and Sony claims that its Battery STAMINA mode can improve standby time by four times.

Additionally, the Xperia Z is both water and dust resistant. Sony is touting the device's water resistance and says that the Xperia Z has the highest levels of water-proofing (IP55 and IP57) among the current crop of high-end handsets.

"If you want to want to sit in the bath and watch an HD movie this is the device for you," Sony Mobile executive Steve Walker told the BBC. "You can take it in the shower if you want, or more usefully if you get it dirty you can wash it under the tap."

The Xperia Z will come pre-loaded with Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, but will soon get an update to Android 4.2 post release. Sony did not reveal the pricing and exact date of release for the Xperia Z, but mentioned that the smartphone will "launch globally in Q12013."

Whether the Xperia Z can take on offerings from Samsung and Apple and help Sony revive its fortunes remains to be seen.